Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa
South Africa: Literacy rates vs average years of schooling was 90 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
90
Change on year
down 5.3%
World rank
74th
of 128 countries
All-time high
95.02
in 2019
All-time low
42.5
in 1950
Years of data
13
1950–2021
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa, 1950–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa stood at 90.
That represents a change of down 5.3% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa peaked at 95.02 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 42.5, in 1950.
South Africa ranks 74th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 42.5 | — |
| 1980 | 76.2 | +79.3% |
| 1996 | 82.4 | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 88.72 | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 92.89 | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 92.88 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 93.1 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 93.73 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 94.14 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.37 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 91.74 | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 95.02 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 90 | -5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.5 | 42.5 | 42.5 | 1 |
| 1980s | 76.2 | 76.2 | 76.2 | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.4 | 82.4 | 82.4 | 1 |
| 2000s | 90.81 | 88.72 | 92.89 | 2 |
| 2010s | 93.57 | 91.74 | 95.02 | 7 |
| 2020s | 90 | 90 | 90 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 4 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa?
- Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in South Africa was 90 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95.02 in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5 in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for literacy rates vs average years of schooling?
- South Africa ranks 74th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rates vs average years of schooling rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates vs average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).